Grilled Shrimp Skewers

These Grilled Shrimp Skewers are packed with lemon garlic flavor, require no marinating and are ready in just 15 minutes from now!

Love shrimp? Check out my bang bang shrimp, bang bang shrimp tacos and shrimp ceviche.

Why You Will Love This Grilled Shrimp Skewers Recipe

• There is 0 marinating time needed for these flavorful grilled shrimp skewers.
• The grilled shrimp marinade with garlic, lemon, and oregano is super versatile!
• Shrimp skewers recipe takes just 5-6 minutes to grill to perfection and 15 minutes total from start to finish!
• Can also be cooked on the stovetop or broiled in the oven for year-round shrimp recipe!
• Use affordable medium shrimp for a dinner that doesn’t break the bank!

Ingredients for Grilled Shrimp Skewers

For this grilled shrimp skewers recipe you will need just 7 simple ingredients.

• Shrimp: I use medium shrimp, around 21-25 count per pound. To save time, buy de-veined and peeled, fresh or frozen shrimp. Larger or smaller shrimp is OK too.
• Grilled shrimp marinade: I use a simple combination of olive oil, garlic, fresh lemon juice (lime juice will also work), dried oregano, salt and pepper.

How to Grill Shrimp Skewers

Here is a quick overview how to grill shrimp skewers. They are super easy to make! Just thread the shrimp, brush with marinade, do the quick flip-flop on the grill, and your grilled shrimp is ready in 15 minutes!

Prepare the skewers: First, pre-soak your wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes. Otherwise, you can use reusable metal skewers and no soaking is necessary then. I prefer flat metal skewers, which keep the shrimp from rotating too.

Prepare the marinade: In a small bowl, add olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper and whisk.

Prepare the shrimp: Thread around 5-7 shrimps per skewer. I like to do this right through the center twice to keep them securely in place. Then brush each side with the marinade.

Grill shrimp skewers: Place shrimp skewers on the grill, cover and grill for 2-3 minutes. Then flip the skewers with spatula, cover and grill for 2 more minutes or until they are pink and no longer transparent

If you want the charred skewer marks, then you can press on shrimp skewers with a spatula. Do this at the end of the grilling but be careful not to overcook the shrimp.

How Long to Grill Shrimp?

How long to grill shrimp skewers will depend on the size of the shrimp and the grill you use. On regular grill or charcoal grill, for this medium size shrimp, 2-3 minutes per side is more than enough! As soon as the grey color is gone, the shrimp flesh is pink with no brown or grey spots, it is ready!

If making grilled shrimp skewers on a grill pan, cook for 3 to 4 minutes per each side.

The shape of the shrimp also helps. When cooked to perfection, shrimps form a loose ‘C’ curved shape. However, overcooked shrimp will often curl up into a tighter ‘C’. If you see this, they’re probably tough.

Tips for Best Results

I’m going to take you through all my tips and tricks for how to get perfectly grilled shrimp skewers every single time.

• Be careful not to overcook the shrimp: Depending on the shrimp’s size, the cooking time for the shrimp will vary.
• If you don’t have skewers: Grill shrimp in a well-oiled grilling basket or use a silicone grill mat.
• The larger the shrimp, the easier it is to grill without overcooking. However, they also go up in price.
• If you would like to marinate the shrimp: You can alternatively add the shrimp and marinade to a large airtight bag and shake to thoroughly coat. Allow them to sit in the marinade while the grill preheats. Then brush the leftover marinade when flipping the shrimp skewers over. You can also marinate the shrimp for 30-60 minutes, but I find it unnecessary when brushing them with the flavor twice while grilling.
• To devein the shrimp: To remove the vein, use a sharp knife to make a shallow cut down the center of the prawn where the vein is and use the tip of the knife to gently pull it up and remove from the shrimp.

• To broil shrimp skewers: Preheat the broiler and place the shrimp skewers on an oiled baking tray. Broil for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are no longer grey, flip and broil 2-3 minutes extra. The power of your broiler may mean you have to adjust the cooking times.
• To cook shrimp skewers in a grill pan: Preheat cast iron grill pan over medium heat with a bit of oil. Then add as many shrimp skewers as you can, and cook for 3-4 minutes per side.

Variations

Variations for this grilled shrimp skewers recipe are endless! Here are my top suggestions.

• Italian seasoning: Swap out the dried oregano for a mixed herb seasoning like Italian seasoning.
• Fresh herbs: There is a selection of herbs that pair well with shrimp including fresh cilantro, basil, parsley, lemon thyme or mint. Add 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped herbs to the marinade.
• Paprika: Smoked paprika helps add extra smoky depth to the charred grilled shrimp flavor.
• Lemon: Add lemon zest to the shrimp marinade. You could also throw some lemon slices onto the grill to serve up alongside the shrimp.
• Honey: A little bit of honey added to the marinade will caramelize on the grill and add a subtle sweetness to the grilled shrimp that’s delicious.
• For heat: A pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes is a great way to add a pop of heat to the grilled shrimp skewers. You could also use Cajun seasoning.
• Sweet chili: Swap out the marinade entirely for a Thai sweet chili sauce.
• Add vegetables: It’s possible to add extra veggies to your grilled shrimp skewers but choose carefully. Due to their short cooking time, you need to choose veggies that cook as quickly or are tasty when par-cooked like tomatoes, bell peppers, or zucchini.

What to Serve Grilled Shrimp Skewers with?

You can enjoy these grilled shrimp skewers warm or cold with a tons of meals. Here are just a few of my favorite suggestions:

• Cold pasta dishes: Like this healthy pasta salad or Mediterranean pasta salad.
• Grains: Serve with a side of Instant Pot brown rice, cooked quinoa or couscous.
• Side salads: Grilled shrimp kabobs go well with all kinds of side dishes like healthy potato salad and cauliflower potato salad (pictured above).
• Veggies: Grilled veggies like grilled zucchini or grilled vegetables.
• Toss into a salad: Grilled shrimp is neutral enough to pair with all sorts of salads. For example, with avocado corn salad, Mediterranean quinoa salad, or this lemon parmesan kale salad.
• Avocado: Shrimp and avocado are one of my favorite combinations. Serve alongside avocado salad or in this shrimp and avocado salad.

How to Store and Make Ahead

Make ahead: You can leave the shrimp to marinate for up to a couple of hours before grilling or prepare the marinade for up to a day in advance to cut down further on prep time.  

Store: Allow the grilled shrimp skewers to cool down, then remove shrimp from the skewers into an airtight container and refrigerate for between 2-3 days. Cooked shrimp skewers taste fantastic cold!

Freeze: Cool the grilled shrimp before transferring to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Try to do this within a couple of hours of cooking them to prevent bacteria growth.

FAQs

More Shrimp Recipes to Try

• Shrimp tacos
• Shrimp and vegetable stir fry
• Shrimp and zucchini
• Shrimp avocado salad
• Shrimp spaghetti
• Air fryer shrimp
• Shrimp tostadas
• Shrimp orzo salad

Feel free to also browse through my entire collection of healthy shrimp recipes.

More Grilled Recipes to Try

• Grilled salmon
• Grilled fish tacos
• Greek chicken kabobs

Also check out all of our healthy grill recipes!